The "Trait I miss most when I don't have it" poll...

[couerdelion]

Looks I’ve got to go with the majority vote and plump for the Creative vote because this is all-powerful for grabbing land and resources. No need to go down that low-yielding religious path or waste production just for Monuments. Get those worker techs and start digging.

It’s a little surprising that spiritual gets so much “vocal” support. While good, it has been badly mauled by the unnecessary boost to golden ages.

Second is probably Charismatic – where I don’t mind the monuments – for that early game happiness boost.

[MyOlde]

Charismatic and creative seem to be the leaders -- a combo that doesn't exist in any of the BtS leaders. Too bad.

[jkp1187]

Originally posted by MyOlde
Charismatic and creative seem to be the leaders -- a combo that doesn't exist in any of the BtS leaders. Too bad.

Was there a game balance reason for that (like PHI/IND)?

[Supr49er]

Creative.

I forget how nice the rapid BFC expansion is on a crowded continent.

[couerdelion]

Originally posted by MyOlde
Charismatic and creative seem to be the leaders -- a combo that doesn't exist in any of the BtS leaders. Too bad.

Probably because they are the two strongest traits. IMNSHO

[eris]

I am not good enough to miss a trait I don't have. I am too busy trying to figure out what to do with the ones I have. So, if I don't miss those other traits, I must be happier than those who do. I had no idea that being this bad would make me happy.

[Blaupanzer]

Creative, especially early game. This, of course, shapes the game to come. IND can substitute, IF you get Stonehenge before any other. Kind of a cheaper version of creative.

[couerdelion]

On the other side of the coin, are there traits that you forget that you have? I just started a game and got Cyrus as a leader. Not realising that I was Imperialist, I discovered that I could whip a settler a little earlier that I had expected at which point I realised that I might have tried to build one a little sooner

[Garth Vader]

I am spiritual in my current game, and I keep forgetting that I can change civics for war preparation and peace.

[jkp1187]

Originally posted by Garth Vader
I am spiritual in my current game, and I keep forgetting that I can change civics for war preparation and peace.

I often don't play Spiritual for that reason -- I always forget I have it, and never take advantage of it.

[Ming]

When I have it, I really abuse it. Otherwise, I'm trying to plan big changes around Golden Ages, or trying to figure out when it will hurt the least.

[jkp1187]

Originally posted by Ming
When I have it, I really abuse it. Otherwise, I'm trying to plan big changes around Golden Ages, or trying to figure out when it will hurt the least.

I actually like not playing as spiritual. Forces me to think through my civics choices/planning of Golden Ages and the like. 'Course, I'm not playing MP like you are, so perhaps the thought process is a little different?

[Ming]

If I'm not spiritual (either SP or MP), I'm always planning ahead to deal with civics changes. It does indeed force you to think if you want to do things right. Heck, when I'm spiritual it does indeed remove the planning element. But it adds a new dimension... you start thinking how short term changes can be really helpful. A whole new way to view and plan civic choices.

[couerdelion]

Still playing Warlords, Spiritual is still a very strong trait for me so I rarely forget it. BtS obviously had it in for Spiritualist everywhere while pandering to the Creative types to make that trait even stronger.

The last game was Spiritual and once I had a big tech lead it was simple to draft my invasion force of Riflemen for the final war against Korea and China. I think I even drafted a bunch of macemen earlier for use against the Vikings or Mali.

It also allowed me to run Pacifism for a short time so that I could hurry up a Great Engineer to build Taj Mahal – with my capital producing quite a lot of GPP and being doubled by National Epic, Pacifism helped me to get a second city to produce a GP first. That was expensive for a short period but the golden age easily recovers the extra costs. As it happened, I still didn’t get a GE so started to build the Taj. Half way through, my capital generated a GE. That’s just one of those things

Nationhood and Serfdom are civics that I would rarely use as a non-Spiritual civ but can be very effective without the anarchy cost.

[jkp1187]

I am not huge on Creative, either. Perhaps its effect is more pronounced in MP games, also -- where it's more of a smashmouth game from turn one? I've always been of the opinion that the immediate benefit is nice, but it quickly peters out toward the end game. (And I enjoy playing games that last until the 20th century). I suppose if you're always playing for a quick win, creative is more useful.